Can you use 6' recessed lights in fiberglass ceiling tiles?

diytryingFebruary 21, 2011

I want to replace my existing dropped ceiling tiles with fiberglass 2x2 ones. My installer is concerned that if most or all of the weight of my 6" recessed lights is on the tile, the fiberglass (5/8" thick which I think is pretty standard) may not hold. Does anyone have any experience with this?

The grid that holds the tiles is the only thing that can support recessed fixtures. There should be hangar bars on each recessed fixture fastened to the Tbar grid. In earthquake areas, each fixture has a support cable to the structure above.